As he drew near to the castle, he saw the giant's wife standing at the door.
"If you please, ma'am," said he, "would you kindly give me some breakfast? I have had nothing to eat since yesterday."
Now, the giant's wife, although very big and very ugly, had a kind heart, so she said: "Very well, little man, come in; but you must be quick about it, for if my husband, the giant, finds you here, he will eat you up, bones and all."
So in Jack went, and the giant's wife gave him a good breakfast, but before he had half finished it there came a terrible knock at the front door, which seemed to shake even the thick walls of the castle.
"Dearie me, that is my husband!" said the giantess, in a terrible fright; "we must hide you somehow," and she lifted Jack up and popped him into the empty kettle.
No sooner had the giant's wife opened the door than her husband roared out:
"Fee, fi, fo, fum,
I smell the blood of an Englishman;
Be he alive, or be he dead,